Michigan’s Howard out and about despite rumors

Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff WriterDec 13, 2023, 02:17 PM ET

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• Basketball recruiting expert.
• Joined ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.Michigan coach Juwan Howard participated in

a local kids’s health center and was photographed at a high school basketball game on Tuesday as speculation continues to mount about his job status.Howard and his group went to the C.S. Mott Children’s Health center before Howard went to watch luxury junior Trey McKenney alongside Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.Last week, Howard was associated with an incident with strength and conditioning coach

Jon Sanderson, sources informed ESPN. No punches were tossed, according to numerous sources, but the 2 men needed to be separated.The Athletic reported Wednesday that the university positioned a zero-tolerance policy on Howard following his run-in with Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft in 2022, when he hit Krabbenhoft in the face in the postgame handshake line, setting off a brawl involving coaches and players from both groups. The outlet likewise reported Sanderson filed an HR claim following recently’s occurrence with Howard.Howard traveled with the group and was on the bench for Michigan’s game against Iowa on Sunday, while Sanderson was not in attendance.A university spokesperson told ESPN on Monday they “do not have a remark

on the situation. “Howard has yet to return to his full-time function as the team’s head coach following a successful heart treatment in September.

The scheduled operation was to resect an aortic aneurysm and fix an aortic valve, conditions recognized throughout a routine medical check earlier in the offseason. Howard returned to the bench during Michigan’s trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis as an observer and has transitioned to an assistant coach role for the last 2 weeks.Howard has actually apparently targeted this Saturday’s home game versus Eastern Michigan for his return as coach. Former colleague and fellow Fab 5 member Jalen Rose tweeted as much on Sunday night.Associate head coach Phil Martelli has worked as Michigan’s interim head coach during Howard’s absence. The Wolverines sit at 5-5 total(1-1 in the Big Ten) following a 3-0 start.Howard, who dipped into Michigan from 1991-94 before being selected fifth general in the NBA draft, returned to his university as head coach in 2019. He guided the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season champion in 2021, receiving a 1-seed in the NCAA competition and making a run to the Elite 8 before losing to UCLA. Michigan reached the Sugary food 16 the following season, before having a hard time last year en path to an 18-16 project.